Dublin, 09/01/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 9 January, the Irish minister for communications, energy and natural resources, Pat Rabbitte, announced that a new pan-European telecommunications project - DISCUS - which is led by Trinity College Dublin - will receive €8.1 million from the EU seventh framework programme for research. The total sum for DISCUS is €11.7 million.
The research project, which brings together 13 partners, academia and enterprise, from Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy, Sweden, the UK and France, aims to explore new ways to use optical fibre to build a simplified broadband network that will provide ultra high-speed internet to both urban and rural areas, is economically viable, environmentally sustainable and capable of supporting all current and future services, Rabbitte's press release states.
“Strengthening Europe's digital economy by advancing areas such as high-speed broadband rollout is a priority for the Irish Presidency of the EU”, Rabbitte said, pointing out that that the DISCUS project will provide “concrete results for the benefit of both Ireland and Europe, and demonstrate the critical links between research and enterprise that lead ultimately to jobs creation”. (CG/transl.fl)